Black Bean & Kasha Stew
In the first week of a new year, many of my friends and colleagues are knee deep in detoxes and “cleanses” as part of their new years resolution to lose weight. I don’t go for that sort of insanity, for me those diets & detoxes never fail to backfire.
My resolution this year is really simple. I’m going to focus on growing food from seed and cooking food from scratch. That’s it. No calorie counting, no deciphering unpronounceable ingredients. This strategy should help me to save some money in the long run too.
Tonight, I whipped up a black bean & kasha stew. Kasha is roasted buckwheat groats, a grain that I usually cook with roasted vegetables (click here for that kasha recipe I posted 2 years ago). Kasha cooks up quickly, I was able to whip up this soup in less than 30 minutes. It will likely be my breakfast tomorrow as the weather will be below 10 degrees when I wake up. Kasha is a warming and strengthening grain that has as much protein as red meat.
Black Bean & Kasha Veggie Stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small red pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 cup kasha or buckwheat groats
4 cups veggie stock or water
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 -15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained (note: I use Eden brand because their cans have no BPA)
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
juice of one lime
Heat oil in a soup pot and saute onion and peppers over medium heat, 3-5 minutes.
Add garlic, kasha and chili powder, and saute 3 minutes more.
Stir in stock, beans, carrots, corn, bay leaf.
Cover, and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes more or until kasha is tender.
Stir in cilantro and lime juice and serve.
